~Emery's POV~
"Miss Palmer?"
I stop outside Colin's office and glance over at Winter Lynch as she steps off the elevator. "Hey. Is Colin in?"
Winter gazes at me in surprise before she shakes her head "no, ma'am. He is taking the day off."
I frown a little gazing at her "no. He can't be. He said he would be here at work."
Winter frowns a little "you can check his office, but he said he had something to do today."
"When?"
"This morning. Eight-ish."
I frown turning to the door I key it open with the fob Colin gave me before I push open the door. I frown deeper, looking around, he's definitely not in there. I glance at Winter "can you call him? Ask him where he is?"
Winter nods slowly "have you tried his cell?"
I nod. "Yeah. It's not like him not to answer."
Winter nods "I'll get in touch with him, ma'am."
I nod slowly before heading back to the elevator. Why am I worried? What could he have gotten himself caught up in? Maybe he is working at home. Maybe he is in some meeting that Winter forgot about, and his phone is silenced. Or maybe he felt so betrayed by the things I had written in my journal that he disappeared. He is the one who broke my trust! He wasn't supposed to read that. He said he wouldn't. How much did he read anyways?
What if he is out fucking some girl, could he be at Hard Metal? No, no Colin is not a cheater.
I step out of the main doors looking up and down the street frowning softly.
"Miss Palmer?"
I jump a little glancing at Reese, he is leaning against the side of the car. "Reese? Where is Colin? Have you heard from him?"
Reese gazes at me with a small frown.
I frown deeper "do you know where he is?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Course Reese knows where Colin is. It was probably a waste of a question. He always knows where Colin is, that's his job. "Where is he?"
Reese hesitates, a tight frown across his face.
"Reese... is he... is he with a girl?"
Reese blinks before instantly shaking his head "no. No ma'am. Well..." he sighs and nods to the bar across the street. "He and Mrs Hendricks are taking a day, ma'am."
I frown a little glancing over at the bar before turning to Reese. I quickly start towards the intersection.
"Miss Palmer," Reese murmurs walking beside me.
"I am just going to go see him, ask him why he is ignoring my calls," I mutter. I glance at Reese as I reach the door. "Stop me if you want but I will fight back." I step into the bar.
"Ma'am can I see some ID?" the bouncer asks with a small frown.
I glance at him "I am not here to buy anything. I just need to drag my guy out of here."
The bouncer hesitates before he nods "alright."
When the bouncer turns away, I let my gaze wander over the place. It's dark in here but it's not overly crowded. It doesn't take long before I notice Colin, he is standing at the bar, a bottle of scotch in his hand. Next to him, Joyce is seated on a barstool, her face flushed.
Colin is glaring coldly at the guy next to him. It looks as though he snarls something to the man before he sets the bottle of scotch on the counter and balls his hands into fists. I frown watching as Joyce mutters something in his ear.
I miss the man's retort and my eyes widen as I watch the guy aim a punch at Colin. Everything happens very fast after that. Colin dodges the punch, grabs the guy's hand and spins him around, forcing his arm back. I can almost hear the guy's shoulder pop out of its socket.
I step closer.
"One more word and I will break it," I hear Colin snarl to the man.
It's then that I realize I know the man. I remember him from Hard Metal. He is the same guy Colin shoved into a table.
"Speak about my girl one more time, I dare you," Colin challenges.
"Colin, I think he gets it," Joyce says a small tone of disapproval in her voice.
"Colin!" I cry in shock.
Colin glances over his shoulder at me with a small frown, he blinks a little before he looks past me. "Reese, get her out of here. Take her to the car."
I frown deeply as I feel Reese grabs my arm. "Let me go!" I demand looking at him, forcing my arm away from him. "Colin, leave him alone! He gets it."
"I said get her out of here. Carry her if you have to," Colin demands glaring a little at Reese before he shoves the guy against the bar. "Go with him, Emery. Wait for me in the car."
I feel tears of shock rush to my eyes as Reese wraps his arm around my waist and half carries, half drags me outside.
"Miss Palmer, come on," he is saying.
I let him guide me across the street. I gaze at him with shock as he opens the back door for me. I didn't think there was anything else Colin could do to surprise me. I thought I had seen it all, but... is he going to kill that guy? Is he going to beat him to an inch of his life because of something stupid he said about me? It was one thing to shove him into a table, especially at Hard Metal... it's probably common for two Dominants to but heads, but out in public, in a bar like that, drunk and... it's not even two in the afternoon.
"Get away from me," I order looking at Reese, tears rushing to my eyes.
"Miss Palmer," Reese murmurs, looking at me with a small warning look. "Get in the car. Please."
"Stop, go stop him."
"No," Reese says shaking his head. "The guy deserves it."
"How do you know that?"
"Because if he didn't, Mr Corrette wouldn't be beating him up. Mr Corrette is the most level-headed guy I know. The guy would have had to work him up a lot to get him to retaliate like that."
"How do you know that? Colin is... he is capable of murder, of hurting people."
"People who deserve it." Reese insists. "And only when they deserve it."
I glare at Reese shaking my head, I take a step away from him.
"Get in the car," Reese orders.
"If you touch me I will scream until someone calls the cops," I threaten before I whirl around and head back into the office. I hurry to the elevator and up to my office. I step inside and shut the door, locking it. I hesitate before I grab my phone and dial Ellie's number. I don't even wait for her to say hi when she picks up. "Come to my office, right now, and hurry."
"On my way," Ellie promises, a deep frown across her face.
When Ellie knocks on my door I open it to let her in before shutting it and locking it back up.
"What happened?" Ellie asks looking at me with a frown.
"He's drunk," I whisper looking at her. "He's across the street with a friend of his... his ex. He's drunk and he is... he's gotten into a fight with some guy."
Ellie frowns deeply gazing at me "are you scared of what he will do?"
I swallow looking at her.
"You are." Ellie realizes, her eyes darkening. "Should I call the cops?"
"No. No... I-I don't know."
"Emery if he is capable of... do you think he will kill him?"
"No," I say instantly... How do I know that? He killed his father. His father was a monster! I slowly shake my head "no he's not capable of murder."
Ellie nods slowly looking at her "okay. What do you want to do? Do you want to leave?"
I shake my head before I lean back against the wall and sink to the ground. I feel tears well in my eyes before I bury my face in my hands. Why would he do this? Why is he getting drunk during the day with Joyce? Is that honestly the most important question to me right now? Did he call her to get drunk and fuck her? Did he call her to hash out all his problems? Why? Why am I suddenly jealous of her again? I know he needs friends. He is trying to make peace with Ellie, I should be doing that with Joyce. But... she has so much influence over him why would she not try harder to stop him?
"Why is he with his ex?" Ellie asks sitting down beside me.
I glance at her frowning deeply "they are friends."
Ellie raises a brow "good friends?"
I nod. "Yeah. Really good friends." I jump and glance at the door when I hear a gentle knock.
"Emery?"
I frown softly glancing at the door.
"What do you want me to do?" Ellie asks glancing at me. "Cause I can tell him to get lost."
I slowly shake my head. He won't cause a scene, not here at his office. Or at least I want to believe that. I slowly get to my feet and walk over to the door. I breathe a hard sigh before I unlock the door and pull it open.
He is only wearing his white button-up, and the sleeves are rolled back to his elbow. The top two buttons are undone. His hair is extra messy. His knuckles are red and swollen.
"What did you do to him?" I mutter glaring at him.
Colin frowns a little glancing past me at Ellie. He turns his focus on me "not here. Not with company. Come to the car with me and we will talk."
"Is he alive?"
Colin frowns deeply before he nods "yes, of course. I'm not a killer."
"What did he do?"
"He pissed me off," Colin mutters coldly. "I told him to get lost and keep his distance from both of us and he made a... sick remark. He threatened you, so I kicked his ass."
I gaze at him shaking my head "you can't do that. You can't beat people because of me."
Colin frowns and gently guides me back into the office, closing the door behind me. "I will do whatever I want to people who threaten to hurt you."
I take a large step back from him and when he steps closer, I shake my head "stay away from me."
Colin frowns deeper gazing at me. "He is part of an example, Emery."
"What example?"
"Don't fuck with my girl," Colin mutters darkly. "You are an extension of me. Don't you get that? My entire life is dedicated to protecting you and I will do that however I see fit. You are my life." He sighs heavily before shaking his head "please can we not do this here? Let's talk in the car."
"Why? I don't know if I feel safe going with you right now."
"Cut the crap, Emery. You know I wouldn't hurt you. Not ever," Colin mutters.
I gaze at him with a skeptical look. "Why are you drunk at two in the afternoon?"
Colin sighs and shakes his head "I was burning off steam. No harm done."
"A little harm done. I think that guy would think that was harm done."
Colin sighs heavily as he crosses his arms over his chest. "Come downstairs with me and see what I did to him. You are making it worse than what happened."
I shake my head gazing at him with a deep frown.
Colin sighs, in frustration. "You can either walk yourself down there or I will carry you."
"You wouldn't dare," I deny with a small glare. "Not here at work."
"Try me," Colin says looking at me.
I frown placing my arms on my hips and gazing at him with a 'try it' look.
Colin sighs and swoops to pick me up.
"Okay! Okay fine, I'll walk," I say pushing his shoulder away with a deep frown. I glance at Ellie before I head out to the elevator. I stare at the descending numbers on the ride down, ignoring Colin. Back on the street, I look over at the ambulance, it looks different than the usual ones.
"It's a private paramedic company," Colin explains glancing at me. "They will patch him up and are paid a little extra to keep them from asking questions. But he's going to be fine."
The man is sitting in the back of the ambulance holding an icepack to his eye. His nose is bleeding and his lip. I frown deeply glancing at Colin "you beat him up."
Colin looks at me with a small frown "he was being a dick. I told you, he is an example, Emery."
I frown glaring at him a little. I glance over at Reese who is talking to Joyce. "Did you sleep with her?"
Colin blinks and immediately shakes his head "what? God no. What you think I would cheat on you?"
"I don't know what to think," I say. "You are drunk at two in the afternoon. You are drinking with your ex."
"I would never cheat on you, I am not a cheater Emery," Colin insists. "Joyce called me, and she suggested that we get together and talk."
"She suggested this?" I ask curiously.
Colin nods "Brendon left her, she wanted a distraction."
I gaze at him with surprise "he left her?"
Colin nods "yes. That is all Emery. I came out with her to be a good friend. I figured after treating her like shit for a week I owed her that much. We drank and talked, and I kicked her ass at darts. Then this guy walked in and started... pissing me off."
"So you knocked him around?"
"I only did that after he made a comment about you," Colin says looking at me. "No one gets to make ignorant comments about you or threaten you. No one."
I shake my head "I don't want you doing this shit. I don't want you to punch people for me."
"Cut the bullshit," Colin growls in frustration. "Don't lie to me Emery, I can tell by now when you do. You like that I am willing to step between you and every guy who tries to do something stupid or ignorant to you. You simply tell yourself you don't because you believe that is what you are supposed to feel. I read your journal remember? You said you liked it. That it turned you on." He steps closer to me cupping his hand to my cheek. "You are my life. I am simply protecting that. Don't tell me you don't want this."
I gaze at Colin with a small frown.
"I think you are angrier that I was out drinking with Joyce and ignored your calls than you are about me punching that guy. You are just unwilling to admit that to yourself. I think you are happy that you found a guy who is willing to pick fights on your behalf. That is willing to protect you with fists. I think you are happy that I am willing to protect you and stand up for you even when a guy is simply spewing half-drunk comments about you. I think you are relieved that your daughters will have that kind of father. The kind who will scare their future boyfriends half to death so that they will always treat our girls right." Colin gazes at me with a small frown "and that is okay. It's okay to feel that way."
I gaze at him with a small frown.
"I think you finally feel safe, and after having to fend for yourself from such an early age you deserve it."
I blink when he touches his lips to my forehead. How has he figured all of that out already? How much of my journal did he read?
"No one is ever going to hurt you or our family as long as I am around and you are allowed to be thankful for that," Colin murmurs gazing at me.
I gaze at him frowning a little.
"I'm sorry I didn't answer your calls, I should have. I should never be unreachable. I had my phone off and it won't happen again," Colin apologises.
I bit my lip a little and nod slowly. I touch my hand to his cheek and shake my head "I just don't want you to end up in prison or something."
"I won't," he assures me. "I am never the one that throws the first punch. I always make sure of that."
I nod slowly. "And... you can turn your phone off when you are trying to decompress —course you can. Just let me know that's what you are doing. I thought you were angry about something you read this morning."
Colin frowns a little and nods slowly "I was. I am. Why do you still doubt my feelings for you?"
"Because you have said you are incapable of loving people. That includes me."
"No, it doesn't," Colin insists. "My feelings for you are very, very real, Emery. I love you, my heart beats for you. I feel everything for you."
I gaze at him hesitating before I nod.
Colin kisses my forehead "I love you, Emery. More than I can say. More than I will ever be able to show you, but I'm going to try like hell."
I smile a little and rest my head against his shoulder. I bury my face in his shirt breathing in the smell of his cologne, body wash and him. "I love you."
He pulls away after a moment gazing at me, he brushes his thumb down my cheek "are you up for a dinner party tonight?"
I look at him curiously "with whom?"
"Joyce," he says. "She's invited us over to celebrate the engagement and the baby."
I hesitate a moment before nodding "yeah, sure." I did make him spend an evening with Ellie and Joyce is not so bad when she is in a good mood.